Steve Kerr originated the Strength in Numbers slogan. The Warriors’ organization aggressively pumped it out to the public. That branding stuck, morphing into a buzz phrase to define the team’s depth the past couple seasons.

But the roster’s balance tipped this offseason. Kevin Durant was infused up top, while Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Mo Speights and Leandro Barbosa were plucked from the middle. The Warriors have two of the league’s top five players and, arguably, four of the top 20. It isn’t an insult to call them top-heavy.

But the roster reshuffle hasn’t altered the team’s branding. Strength in Numbers will remain the slogan, they say. To live it, though, a few NBA unknowns must emerge. The team is optimistic. Tryouts begin Saturday in Vancouver.

On the cheap, Zaza Pachulia is pegged to fill the Bogut void. He won’t block nearly as many shots, but does enough in other areas – screening, passing, team defending, free throw shooting – to minimize the loss. Around four in-their-prime All-Stars, he’s a respectable starting center.

Iguodala and Shaun Livingston return as the sixth and seventh men. There may not be a more proven, versatile 1-2 punch off the bench in the league. Just take a look around at the Warriors’ biggest threats. Cleveland’s two best reserves are Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye. The Clippers have Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers. The Spurs feature 39-year-old Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills.

Come May, rotations shrink. In the season’s biggest moments, the Warriors may not need to go more than seven deep. And their top seven is about as potent as any assembled in recent NBA history. That’s a massive advantage. But injuries (and suspensions) can, and do, happen. The nine-month marathon exposes roster depth. Which is where Golden State’s truest question marks lie.

Starting at the eighth man, the Warriors’ rotation has two divergent groups: guys who aren’t what they once were or guys who aren’t what they’ll eventually be. Can one of the veterans crank back his career clock or can a youngster speed his up?

Let’s start at center. Livingston’s a guard and Iguodala’s a wing, so the emergence of a reliable backup big is most crucial. Anderson Varejao just turned 33. His effectiveness began to wane around 30. After Bogut’s injury in the Finals, Kerr gave Varejao an important role. He struggled.

So David West seems the favorite to snag a bulk of those minutes as the first backup big. Even at 36, he had a solid season last year in San Antonio. As part of an aged, high-IQ front line, West fit well into the Spurs’ prodding style, saying the experience “enriched him thoroughly.”

The Warriors’ quicker pace will zip him into fast forward, which could present fatigue and fit issues. But on media day, he said part of the appeal of joining Golden State (and taking less money) was the pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop possibilities. West is a solid mid-range shooter when open – and he’ll never be more open – plus an adept finisher around the rim, though shot-blockers can give his under-the-rim game trouble.

If age didn’t erode his skill more than expected this offseason, West should help. But if he and Varejao struggle, the Warriors can float out two Hail Marys. Rookie Damian Jones is a 21-year-old project, while JaVale McGee is a reclamation case. We won’t start to get a feel for Jones until he returns from a pec injury around December. As for McGee, we should get a sense early in preseason if he’s even worth a roster spot, which isn’t guaranteed.

Kevon Looney and James Michael McAdoo will also fight for minutes in the frontcourt. Both are more traditional power forwards, but could act as small-ball centers. McAdoo’s had some opportunities his first two years, but hasn’t secured any real NBA footing. Meanwhile, Looney, because of two hip surgeries in the past 14 months, hasn’t had the chance. Staffers say he’s looked rusty in camp, which is to be expected. “This is basically his rookie year,” Kerr said.

With the departure of Barbosa, minutes are available in the backcourt as the de facto ninth man. The competition is between Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw, the two who have drawn the most rave reviews early in camp.

“I think he’s missed one shot in the first two days,” Iguodala said of Clark. “So we’re looking forward to him being a great spot-up shooter who can create.”

Of McCaw, Iguodala said he was “ahead of the curve” for a rookie. Kerr has continually said McCaw will get an opportunity.

But if both impress, there’s no reason both can’t play. The Warriors preach positionless basketball. McCaw has appealing size for a guard. At a lanky 6-foot-7, he could easily slide to the wing and bump other guys down a slot. That could help ease any issues with the backup bigs, should they arise.

“I think a couple people have either said or written that our bench is going to be not necessarily suspect but weaker than last year,” Kerr said. “We’ve got every reason to believe we can play the same way, with Strength in Numbers.”

Off the bench, Kerr has plenty of options. But those options come with plenty of questions. The ceiling of this second unit may be higher, but the floor is lower. Saturday gives us our first peek as to which extreme they’ll gravitate toward.

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